Home / Authors / William Strunk, Jr.

William Strunk, Jr. Quotes

Professor

William Strunk, Jr. was an American professor, born on July 1, 1869, and died on September 26, 1946. He is known for his contribution to the clarity and simplicity of English writing.

Filter quotes by topic

All Writing Style Use Attention Brevity Concise Ifs Mark Sentences Should Vigorous Way Adjectives Air Concrete Drawing Giving Knows Language Lines

Famous William Strunk, Jr. Quotes

“Rewrite and revise. Do not be afraid to seize what you have and cut it to ribbons ... Good writing means good revising.”

Writing Mean Learning Cutting Programming Good Writing Ribbons Revising

Author:William Strunk, Jr.

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

Should Writing Reason Lines Should Have Machines Sentences Drawing Unnecessary Vigorous Paragraph Brevity Concise Written Language

Author:William Strunk, Jr.

“Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.”

Writing Interesting Announcing

Book:the elements of style

Source: the elements of style

“Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.”

Needs Writing Ends Remember Common Majors Weakness Defeat Surgery Manuscripts

Book:the elements of style

Source: the elements of style

“The surest way to arouse and hold the attention of the reader is by being specific, definitive, and concrete. The greatest writers - Homer, Dante, Shakespeare - are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report the details that matter. Their words call up pictures.”

Way Writing Matter Deals Attention Reader Details Reports Concrete

Author:William Strunk, Jr.

“A drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

Should Writing Lines Should Have Machines Drawing Unnecessary Vigorous Paragraph Brevity Concise Written Language

Author:William Strunk, Jr.

“Vigorous writing is concise.”

Writing Vigorous Concise

Author:William Strunk, Jr.

About the Author

Born: July 1, 1869
Died: September 26, 1946
Known for: Professor
Quotes: 28

Books & Sources

the elements of styleRelated source material

Elements of StyleRelated source material

Similar Authors

William ZinsserBrowse related quotes
Pattiann RogersBrowse related quotes
Elmore LeonardBrowse related quotes
Katie KitamuraBrowse related quotes
Lloyd LevitinBrowse related quotes
Natalie GoldbergBrowse related quotes
Sefi AttaBrowse related quotes
Lynne TillmanBrowse related quotes
Philip GerardBrowse related quotes
Alice MattisonBrowse related quotes